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The drone has become a multi-use agent of the sky, and a Rotorua resident wants them used to fight illegal dirt bike activity plaguing the city.
However, local authorities warn the seemingly simple solution is anything but.
Rotorua Lakes Council and local police have faced increasing difficulty keeping the city’s reserves, play areas and sports fields safe from vandalism – particularly from dirt bikes.
Earlier this month, police promised a crackdown on the issue.
Resident Ryan Gray believed drones could be the answer. He deals with the problem daily with “loud and obnoxious” riders hooning down a nearby cycleway.
“These riders dive onto footpaths and cycleways where cars can’t go, and if they’re chased, they’ll just ride more dangerously,” said Gray.
“That’s where drones come in. You’ve got CCTV, you’ve got the tech so why not use it?
“The camera sees them, drone goes up, follows them home, you then knock on their door, and you’ve got them on video.”
A video of the issue he posted online recently sparked comments of vigilante action and concerns for innocent bystanders and the riders.
“It’s not even about catching everyone, it’s about deterrence. If people know they’ll be caught, they’ll think twice.
“Right now, it feels like no one’s doing anything, and the community’s getting desperate. We shouldn’t have to wait for a kid to get killed before police take this seriously.”
Authorities in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia have trialled similar systems. Their efficacy remains up for debate although, in California, footage of drones chasing and locating nuisance riders has been a hit on social media.
In Western Australia, drones have been in use since 2018. They have more than 80 police pilots using them for search and rescue, surveillance, and public safety. This has included crackdowns on problem vehicles.
“Western Australia is the single largest policing jurisdiction in the world,” said Western Australia Police Sergeant Nathan Gilmour.
“The inclusion of drone technology enhances police search capabilities across large distances and over rugged terrain that would unable to be accessed by vehicles or personnel.”
Rotorua Police area prevention manager Inspector Phil Gillbanks said drones may seem like an “easy solution”, but there were complicating factors.
“Police are guided by Civil Aviation rules and legislation such as the Search and Surveillance Act and the Privacy Act when deploying drones over residential areas,” he said.
“We also know that these riders often travel considerable distances across town and the drone is also subject to flight time capability and distance from the control point.”
Drone use has been banned at Kuirau Park, Rotorua Lakefront Reserve, Village Green, Motutara (Sulphur) Point and Hannah’s Bay Reserve. These sites are near an airport, helipad or aerodrome.
Generally, operators must fly only in daylight, below 120m, keep drones in sight, and avoid people or private property. Flying near airports or in controlled airspace requires approval.
Gillbanks believed collating information, public help and a cultural shift in some communities was needed to tackle the dirt bike issue.
“We still require the public to step up and come forward with the street addresses that these dirt bike riders are coming and going from regularly,” he said.
“This anti-social behaviour is a societal problem, not just a police problem. It requires a mindset shift that the community can have an impact on achieving.”
Rotorua Lakes Council was also asking the community for help, with its hands tied by the nature of preventive barriers.
“We must balance restricting motorcycle/vehicle access with ensuring that reserves and shared paths are accessible for legitimate users like walkers, people on push bikes, people with prams and people using mobility devices,” said a council spokesperson.
Drones were not seen as the solution.
“The council doesn’t have the resources to purchase or operate multiple drones to deter dirt bikers.
“For anyone using drones, permission is required from owners of land a drone is being flown over, so they aren’t necessarily practical for surveillance purposes.”
Mathew Nash is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. He has previously written for SunLive, been a regular contributor to RNZ and was a football reporter in the UK for eight years.
- LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.